Ashley Churbock is the counselor at Lowery Elementary School. She has partnered with MSF for the past 2 years to host anti-bullying presentations at the school. Last year, 3rd through 5th graders attended the event. This year, the focus was on 5th graders. MSF spoke to Mrs. Churbock about the cyber bullying presentation.

MSF: Overall how do you think the event went?

Mrs. Churbock: I liked this year’s set up better and felt the kids were able to better engage in a smaller setting. I know that this topic can be intimidating to speak about in front of a group, especially for those who have been victims of bullying. I think the timing/length of the sessions were good and were informative but not too long for their attention spans!

MSF: What impact do you think the presentation had on the students and staff?

Mrs. Churbock: I think the staff and students were reminded about the basic bullying definitions and what it looks like but learned more about how widespread of an issue this is and that there can be serious ramifications. I liked Deon’s story because I think it brought the seriousness of how a small thing like forwarding a message can have really big consequences and that she, personally, can speak to how it impacted not only her son but also her, as his mother. I think having these discussions and lessons for our students is really important because we can’t stress this issue enough. Our students need constant reminders about what bullying is (and is not), the consequences and affects it has on the victim, bully, and others. Kids have a hard time being empathetic at times but educating them helps build this skill and work towards a more understanding and compassionate school!

MSF: Is there anything you’d like the readers to know?

Mrs. Churbock: I really want educators and parents to understand how to better help their children be more compassionate and empathetic towards others. Not only should we focus on how to help victims and bullies….but also the bystanders! Teach our kids to stand up for others and have integrity and to model for them what that looks like. We can’t expect our children to be kind and loving if we aren’t modeling that for them. Listen to children, advocate, teach, and inspire them!